Shipping and ship construction



Oct. 10, 1944.

w. NOBLE mmzm SHIPPING AND SHIP CONSTRUCTTON Filed April 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wart-m Noble M Mr 543m Oct. 10, 1944. w. NOBLE 2,360,261

SHIPPING AND SHIP CONSTRUCTION Filed April 1 5, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 'I| NEH v w. 10, 1944. W NOBLE 2,360,261

SHIPPING AND SHIP CONSTRUCTION Filed April 15. 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 W. NOBLE SHIPPING AND SHIP CONSTRUCTION Oct. 10, 1944.

Filed April 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 $315.76.

Patented Oct. 10, 1944 SHIPPING AND SHIP CONSTRUCTION Warren Noble, Washington, D. (3., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Sea Otter Syndicate, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 15, 1941, Serial No. 388,667

11 Claims. ('01. 114-72) The present invention relates to methods of and apparatus for shipping. More particulalry, it is concerned with transporting materials by water, expeditiously and cheaply and without the necessity for constructing by conventional slow and expensive methods, ships for the transportationof goods.

A primary object of the invention is to provide new and improved methods of transporting prefabricated automotive motor units and steel forscrap.

To this end, the invention aims to provide a ship construction of such simplicity that ships can be economically constructed for one-way transportation to their destination, where they can be out up and the metal of the ship reclaimed for scrap.

A further object is to providea new method of and apparatus for utilizing the prefabricated automotive motor units which are desired at the, destination, as the power means for propelling the ship.

A further object is to provide a method of and means for transporting with such steel for scrap and such automotive motor units, miscellaneous cargo.

The invention from the broad aspect contemplates fabricating steel into the form of a simple ships hull, mounting in said hull marine propulsive units and a plurality of prefabricated automotive motors. in driving relation to the propulive units, so that the automotive motor units, which it is desired to transport, may drive the hull and miscellaneous cargo with which it is loaded to the desired point of destination, where the motors may be removed for re-use, the ships cargo unloaded, and the ship itself out up for steel scrap. The marine propulsive units may be returned to the original point of embarkation for re-use with the neXt shipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved ships hull, characterized by its great simplicity and cheapness of manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for propelling such a ship, characterized in that. the propulsive devices are. unitary in character, may be prefabricated at a plant and readily assembledin and. removed from the ship.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved power transmission devices for a ships propulsive system and to provide novel means for utilizing. the power from. a plurality of prefabricated automotive motor units, to the end that said units may serve to drive the ship to its point of destination.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a ship wherein all of the power plant units, fuel storage tanks, provision storage means, living quarters, pilot house and the like are all centralized in one portion of the ship and the .remainder of the ship is available, exclusively, for cargo space.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of the invention proceeds.

The inventionmhas been devised primarily for use in war time conditions, for the shipment;

' through hostile waters from a relatively distant point, of materials needed by a country at war. The system of the present invention is peculiarly adapted for the transportation of materials from the United States to England and her Allies. in.

the present war. The nations. at war have felt a pressing need for such commodities as "prefabricated motor units and steel scrap. In this country, there is a tremendous capacity, in the automobile industry, for the production of automobile motors. Also, our steel mills have an enormous capacity for the production of steel plate which, of course, can readily be cut up into scrap. There is a marked scarcity, however, of conventional oceangoing ships. Moreover, the marine engine industry is only with difiiculty able to cope with the demand for engines for conventional ships now being built in this country. Hence, even though new and improved high speed methods of ship-building be devised, to increase our production of ships, the output of standard marine engines would be insufficient to provide power plants for the increasedship production.

1 The present invention overcomes this ditficulty by utilizing readily available automotive engines, which, in any event, it isdesired to ship abroad, as the power plant means for the new ships. The ships of the present invention are characterized by extreme simplicity and may be produced at a high rate of speed and in great numbers by certain newly developed methods, which are not described in the present application, but form the subject matter of the copending application of Weaver and Burgess, Serial No. 408,528, filed August 27, 1941-, now abandoned.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, it is entirely feasible and economically sound, to fabricate a simple ships hull of sheet steel and steel frame members, preferably electrically weided into a unit, mount automotive motors in the hull and use them to transport the ship, loaded with miscellaneous cargo, to a point of destination, remove the motors and scrap the ship. This method eliminates the costly and unprofitable return voyage and supplies the receiving nation with a greater cargo than is otherwise possible, since substantially everything transported is usable at the point of destination.

In perfecting the invention, many novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts have been devised, as will be pointed out below in connection with the description of the embodiment of th apparatus, shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ship constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, immediately below the main deck. 7 Figure 4 is an elevation looking at the bow of the ship.

Figure 5 is a vertical section and partial elevation, taken substantially on line '5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan of a gun platform.

Figure, 7 is a plan of the interior of the pilot house.

Figure 8 is a detail of a life boat supporting device.

Figures 9, 10 and 11 are horizontal sections through various portions of the'ship.

Figure 12 is a side elevation and partial section,

. showing a preferred form of motor support and Figure 19 is a fragmentary section through the,

deck, showing a preferred method of forming a hatch, and I Figure 20 is a similar view after the hatch has been formed and closed.

The preferred form of hull-shown in the accompanying drawings and the contours of the surfaces thereof are not a part of the invention of the present application, but are described more fully and are claimed in the copending: application of William Starling Burgess, Serial No. 394,549, filed May 21, 1941, Patent No. 2,347,077, April 18, 1944.

The hull comprises a double bottom H], II, sides I2, I3 and a deck l4, all preferably made up of sheet steel plates and frame members electrically welded together. The sides preferably rise on substantially vertical lines from the bottom and meet at the how [5. .As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, a'false outwardly flaring bell l6, comprising steel plates electrically welded together, is electrically welded to the sidesof the ship adjacent the bow, to prevent waves and the like washing the deck.

The ships hull is provided with suitable frame elements and transverse bulkheads, such as those shown at H, I 8, l9 and 20. The bulkheads are preferably made of steel plates electrically welded together and similarly welded to the bottom, sides and deck of the ship, with suitable frame members at the lines of junction.

At an area slightly to the rear of amidships, the hull is divided by transverse partitions 2 I, 22, spaced apart to provide an engine room and storage space for fuel, water and provisions. The construction and arrangement of parts in this section is of considerable importance.

Referring to Figure 5, the hull of the ship is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending wells 25, 26, 27 and 28 which open through the double bottom thereof. The wells are steel tubes, inserted in openings in the double bottom and welded thereto by continuous seam Welds. The wells extend upwardly in the hull a suitable distance above the water line 29, where they are electrically welded to a first deck 30 which extends transversely of the ship in the amidship section. The wells also extend through and are secured by welding to a second deck 3i, compris ing parallel steel plates spaced apart for purposes hereinafter described,

In each well, there is removably mounted a marine propulsion unit, represented generally at 33, upon the upper end of which there is supported a powerplant and power transmission unit 34.

Referring to Figures 12-18, the units 34 include a centrally arranged gear casing 35, having a motor supporting framework secured thereto. The frame comprises side members 36, 31 and transverse end members 38, 39, so arranged that four motors 40, 4 I, .42, 43 may be mounted thereon. Each of these motors may be a'conventional automobile engine, of from to 137 horsepower. Each motor is provided with an individually controlled hydraulic clutch 44, interposed between its flywheel and the drive shaft 40a, 4 la, 42a, 43a. These shafts extend through appropriate bearings in the gear casing 35 and carry on their inner ends pinions 4011-431, respectively.

Within the casing 35 there is a large gear assembly 45, keyed upon a stub shaft 46 appropriately journalled in bearings carried by the casing walls. The gear assembly 45 comprises a large gear 4! having a series of internal teeth 48 and a smaller'gear 49 having a series of external teeth 50. The pinions 46b and 41h are disposed in mesh with the teeth 50, at diametrically spaced points on thegear, and the pinions 42b and 43h are similarly in mesh with the internal teeth 48; The gear ratio between the respective pinions and the gears 41, 49 is constant and, in the preferred embodiment, is nine to one. This gearing arrangement is preferred because standard automotive engines are constructed to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed from the flywheel end or in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the opposite end. By the means disclosed herein, all four engines tend to drive the gear 45' and the stub shaft 465 in the same direction.

Surrounding the stub shaft and in spaced relation thereto are a pair of beveled gears 5!, 52

journaled in bearings 53, 54 and restrained against endwise movement by conventional means. The interior bores of these gears are provided with splines or teeth 55, 56, while a clutch sleeve 51, splined upon the shaft 45, has

ing connection between the shaft 55 and either one or the "other ofthe gears '51, '52, optionally, for purposes described below.

The beveled gears are both constantly in mesh with a bevelled gear 6|, fast on the upper end "of a stub shaft 62 journalled for rotation on a vertical axis in bearings 63, '64. Hence, the stub shaft will be rotated'in one direction orthe other,

"depending upon which gear or 52 is connected in driven relation to the shaft 56 by the clutch 51.

It should be noted that all of the parts so far described are housed in the upper gear casing 3 5. The casing is'supported (Fig. 12) upon an annular channel member 65 adapted to receive an automobile truck tire 6B, in the same manner that a tire is conventionally mounted upon the rim of a Vehicle wheel. The lower end of the channel member 65 is secured to a horizontal .member 67, which carries the upper ends of a downwardly projecting, tubular shaft housing 69 and a pair of stay-tubes 'Hl, ll, all connected at their lower ends to a similar horizontal member 72, secured in turn toa lower annular rim member 13 upon which a second automobile truck tire 14 is mounted. A lower gear casing 15 is bolted to the lower face of the rim member 13 and is carried thereby.

The stub shaft 62 below the upper gear casing 35 has a splined end 16 connected to a hollow drive shaft ll, extending downwardly in the housing 69. The drive shaft may be made in a plurality of sections, connected together by coupling members 18, as shown in Figure 14.

At its lower end (Fig. 18), the lowermost sec tion of the drive shaft l'l' is connected to a stub shaft T9 'journalled in the lower casing '55 and having on its lower end a bevelled gear 80, the same size as the upper bevel gear iii. A hori zontal stub shaft 82, journalled in the lower gear casing, has a bevel gear 83 fixed thereon in mesh with the gear 8 9, the gear 83 being preferably of the same size as the bevel gears 51, 52 in the upper casing. On its outer end, the shaft 82 carries a propeller exteriorly of the casing 15.

In order to properly balance the parts and to conserve space, the vertical shaft and shaft housing are off-center with respect to the well in which they are positioned and the propeller is substantially directly below the large gear assembly 45 in the upper casing. Hence, the shaft and shaft housing are forward of the center of the well and the large gear and propeller are disposed aft.

The bottom of each well is partially closed by a plate 90 which may be a continuation of the sub-bottom ID or a separate piece appropriately secured in place. This plate has an oval or elliptical opening therein, so that the undersurface of the lower truck tire at its side portions rests thereon. The opening 9! is, of course, of suflicient size to permit installation and removal of the lower gear casing and the propeller therethrough.

The assemblies just described may be dropped into place in the wells with the tires substantially deflated, and the tires subsequently inflated to the proper degree of pressure, to secure the assemblies in position, by virtue of the expansion of the tires against the side walls of the wells, Appropriate valves and conduits, not shown, are provided for inflating and deflating the tires, as desired.

The space in the intermediate section of the ship, surrounding the wells and between the bottom I0 and the second deck 3|, is preferably given over to the storage of gasoline or other liquid fuel for the motors. A preferred arrangement of tanks is shown in Figures 10 and 11. Partitions 93 between the upper and lower bottoms f0 and II provide independent fuel storage spaces, while above the upper bottom I I, there are a plurality of vertical partitions 94, extending upwardly to the lower "wall of the second deck 3| and dividing'the space into additional tanks. i

The space between the two walls of the second deck is preferably maintained filled with carbon dioxide gas under relatively low super-atmospheric pressure, to isolate the fuel supply from the remainder of the ship by a confined body of non-inflammable gas.

In the space between the second deck 3'! and the first deck 30, as shown in Figure 9, tanks 96 for the storage of fresh water are provided. There is also a closet illfor general stores, a storage battery room 98, a space for spare engines 99 and other appropriate parts, and a repair shop HH including a work bench H15. A number of carbon dioxide cylinders H32 may be mounted upon a wall 103 which divides one end of the compartment into a second store room 184, which may contain refrigerators H35 and suitable storage compartments 1%.

The space (Fig. 3) above the first deck 39 is given over to the'engines and provides an engine room l9! which extends the full width of the ship. The exhausts from the motors are preferably connected to transversely extending exhaust pipes H38, 109 which extend in pairs outwardly through the sides of the ship, where their ends are appropriately shielded, as at Hi]. The motors may be cooled byleading the normal cooling water through a bank of heat exchangers, which are cooled by sea water, pumped upwardly from the bottom of a well in the ship, by a centrifugal pump disposed below the water line. Of course, any equivalent means for cooling the motors may be provided, but the use of sea water and heat exchangers is preferred.

Above the main deck I4 there is a cabin H2 for the captain and crew, the plan shown in Figure 2 being preferred. This plan provides a radio roomlll, a captains cabin H3, a crew lounge and mess IM, crew sleeping quarters H5, 2. galley I it and toilet facilities I ll. Any equivalent arrangement, of course, may be substituted.

Above the cabin I I2, there is a pilot house i I8 and a gun platform I I9. The platform and the gun I29 mounted. thereon are not supported alone by the relatively light cabin and pilot house, but bya vertically disposed relatively strong tube 25 which extends downwardly to the keel of the ship and additionally constitutes a ventilator shaft, having a laterally extending branch 523a communicating with a ventilator bell i251). At its rear end the gun platform ll 9 carries a transversely extending beam I522, from which a life boat I23 is suspended by means of a traveller I24, as shown in Figure 8. Hence, the boat may be shifted to one side or the other to the end of the beam and lowered away.

Below the main deck M and directly aft of the tube 52!, there is positioned a' magazine i25 adapted to contain ammunition for the gun 28. The magazine is constructed of steel plates electrically welded to the transverse bulkhead 22 and to the deck, sothat its interior is isolated from the hold. Access to the magazine may be gained through a hatch I26 (Fig. 2) in the floor of the cabin.

A similar hatch I2'I (Fig. 3) disposedforwardly of the ventilating tube in the first deck 30, makes the space above the second deck 3! accessible and makes it possible to raise motors and other parts'upwardly from the space below the first deck.

The main deck I4 is provided with a plurality of hatches I28, one directly above each well 2528, so that the marine propulsive assemblies 33 may be dropped downwardly into place in the wells. The roof of the cabin H2, above the wells 26, 21 may have similar hatches therein for the same purpose. These hatches are not in all cases necessary, since the propulsive assemblies may be taken into the engine room in sections and appropriately mounted in the wells and assembled. The motors and the motor supporting platforms ordinarily are installed after the propulsive assemblies have been put in place.

A simple lighting system is provided for the ship, working on a low voltage circuit from batteries in the battery room 98, maintained in charged condition by the standard generators on the automotive motor units. A low power radio set may be energized from the same source of current, and an'antenna I29 is carried by the mast mounted on the gun platform H9. Conventional, self-contained, electrically driven bilge pumps (not shown) may be disposed in each hold section and driven by the same source of current.

When the ship in accordance with the present invention is fabricated, the main deck is preferably entirely decked over. Before the ship is loaded,'hatchway reinforcing elements I33 (Fig. 1 are welded to the upper surface of the deck, along the margins of the space ultimately desired as a hatch. The marginal reinforcing elements I30 preferably comprise Z-section structural steel members, with their upper flanges projecting outwardly from their Vertical webs. After these members have been secured in place, the material of the deck disposed inwardly thereof is cut away, along lines I3I, to provide a hatch opening. After the ship has been loaded, the hatches are closed by steel plates I32 (Fig. 20) positioned upon the upper flanges of the Z-section reinforcing elements I30. The plates are then welded to the upper flanges of the members I39 by continuous welds along lines I 33, close to. the margins thereof. This provides substantially hermetically sealed cargo spaces or holds, completely isolated from the remainder of the ship. Preferably, carbon dioxide gas is introduced into the hold spaces and maintained therein.

When the ship has reached its destination, the hatch covers I32 are removed by cutting the same and the upper flanges of the members I33 along lines I34, by the use of an oxy-acetylene torch. Since the line of cut is disposed exteriorly cf the vertical webs of the Z-section members I33, there is no danger of sparks or the like falling into the hold. When the hatch covers. I32 have been thus removed, they may be used as scrap and the mounted upon a rudder post I42, provided with a tiller I43 connected to cables M ll. The cables extend laterally around sheaves I45 carried by a stern plate [46 and then extend forwardly above the deck to a steering post I41, actuated by an oil steering mechanism I48 controlled from the pilot house II 8. This arrangement is preferred for simplicity and economy in manufacture.

The ship of the present invention is preferably constructed by electric welding in accordance with the methods outlined in the aforementioned copending applications. When the hull and deck have been completed, the ship may be launched sidewise, if desired, into any convenient body of water, which may be quite shallow and relatively narrow. If desired, before the ship is launched, the cabin, pilot house and gun platform may be installed, but, in other cases, this work may be done later. The hull may be towed to a finishing yard or dock, the fittings in the cabin and in some cases the cabin itself completed, and the marine propulsive units dropped into place. When in'proper position, the truck tire supporting means are inflated, to hold the units resiliently in correct position in the wells. The motor units may be installed either before or after loading. Hatch openings are cut in the deck, as described above, and the holds are loaded. A body of solid carbon dioxide in a suitable container may be placed in each hold, before the hatches are sealed. As the dry ice evaporates, it will build up in each hold section an atmosphere comprising carbon dioxide gas and air. Suitable pipe lines may lead through appropriate pressure regulators to the several hold sections from the carbon dioxide gas containers I02, to maintain this atmosphere during the voyage. This condition in the holds is desired, to prevent fires.

The ship is now ready for transportation toits V destination. The sixteen motors are started with the individual clutches 44 in de-clutched position. The main clutch sleeves 51 are set in such manner that the adjacent pairs of propellers rotate in opposite directions, to eliminate torque effect, the individual propellers of each pair being oppositely pitched. When it is desired to reverse the ship, the clutch sleeves are shifted simultaneously, thereby reversing the direction of rotation of all of the drive shafts. For special maneuvers, certain propellers may be driven forwardly and others rearwardly, by appropriate manipulation 22 the clutch sleeves 51 and the individual clutches A ship of the type disclosed herein may have, for example, a length of 240 feet, a beam of 38 feet, and a loaded displacement of 1,940 tons. In such a case, sixteen automotive motor units operating at substantially fifty per cent of their rated horsepower capacity will drive the ship at a sustained speed of 11 knots. Fuel storage for a 5,000 mile cruise is provided. A crew of only eight men is required, including a captain, three seamen, two engineers, a radio operator and a cook.

When the ship reaches its destination, the hatch covers are cut away as previously described and the holds unloaded. The automotive motor units are removed and transported to the place desired forre-use. The propulsive units are removed, after the truck tire supports have been deflated, and may be returned by a home-bound ship, to the point of original embarkation, where they may be re-used in a newly constructed ship of the type shown herein. The original ship may then'be out up to provide scrap steel at the destination.

The invention is not confined to the specific details of construction shown in the accompanymg drawings and described above, but covers all modifications as to structure and method, coming within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for transporting by water, prefabricated automotive motor units, steel for scrap and miscellaneous cargo, comprising sheet steel and frame members electrically welded into the form of a simple ships hull, marine propulsive means removably mounted in the hull, and a plurality of automotive motor units removably mounted on and connected to said propulsive means in driving relation thereto, whereby said automotive motor units provide power for propelling said apparatus to its destination, where the motor units and propulsive means may be removed for re-use, and the hull reclaimed as scrap.

2. A ship adapted for single voyage use comprising sheet metal plates and frame members electrically welded into the form of a simple hull, power transmitting and marine propulsive assemblies removably mounted in said hull, and a plurality of automotive motor units removably mounted upon and connected in driving relation to the first-mentioned assemblies, whereby said automotive motor units may be used to propel said ship to its destination and then be removed, together with said power transmission and marine propulsive units for re-use, and said hull be cut up for scrap to be reclaimed.

3. A ship comprising a hull having a plurality of wells projecting upwardly from its bottom, power transmitting and marine propulsive assemblies mounted in said wells and including marine propellers disposed below the hull, and a plurality of automotive motor units carried by and connected in driving relation to said units, whereby said motor units may drive said ship.

4. A ship comprising a hull having a well proje'cted upwardly from its bottom, a vertically extending driving shaft assembly in the well, gearing assemblies at the upper and lower ends of the shaft assembly, a propeller carried by the lower assembly, a plurality or automotive motor units carried by the upper gearing assembly and connected thereto in driving relation, and means for removably supporting the assembly in the Well.

5. A ship comprising a hull having a well projecting upwardly from its bottom, and a combined motor and marine propulsion assembly for the well, the assembly comprising a plurality of automotive motors, a vertically disposed drive shaft connected thereto, a propeller geared to the lower end of the drive shaft, and means for mounting the assembly in its well, the lastmentioned means comprising a pneumatic ring carried by the assembly and inflated against the wall of the well.

6. In combination, a ship comprising a hull having a well projecting upwardly from its bottom and a combined motor and marine propulsion assembly in said well, said assembly comprising a vertically disposed drive shaft means and housing assembly, a plurality of automotive motors carried by the upper end of said assembly in driving relation thereto, a propeller below the lower end of said assembly and connected in driven relation to the shaft means, and means for mounting the assembly in its well, the lastmentioned means comprising a pair of pneumatic rings carried by the assembly adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof and inflated against the wall of the well.

7. In combination, a ship comprising a hull having a well projecting upwardly from its bottom, a combined motor and marine propulsion assembly for the well, and means for removably mounting the assembly in the well, said means comprising automotive tire units surrounding portions of the assembly and inflated under pneumatic pressure against the walls of the well, whereby said assembly is resiliently connected to said hull, for the quenching of vibration.

8. A combined power plant and marine propulsion assembly adapted to be supported in a well projecting upwardly from the bottom of a ships hull, comprising an upper gear casing, gears in the casing, a motor supporting platform carried by the casing, motors on the platform connected in driving relation to said gears, a vertically disposed shaft housing extending downwardly in the well from the casing, a lower gear casing at the lower end of said shaft housing, gears in the lower casing, shaft means in the housing connecting the upper and lower gears, a propeller carried by the lower gear casing and connected to the gears therein, and resilient means interposed between said assembly and the walls of said well to support the assembly there- 9. A combined power plant and marine propulsion assembly adapted to be supported in a well projecting upwardly from the bottom of a ships hull, comprising an upper gear casing, gears in the casing, a motor supporting platform carried by the casing, motors on the platform connected in driving relation to said gears, a Vertically disposed shaft housing extending downwardly in the well from the upper casing, a lower gear casing at the lower end of the shaft housing below the well, gears in the lower casing, shaft means in the housing connecting the upper and lower gears, a propeller carried by the lower gear casing and connected to be driven by the gears therein, and pneumatic rings adjacent the upper and lower ends of the shaft housing adapted to be inflated against the walls of said well to support said assembly therein and to prevent the transmission of vibrations from the assembly to the hull.

10. A ship comprising a hull including frame members and plates electrically welded together, fore and aft holds and an intermediate section isolated therefrom, power plant units in said intermediate section, marine propulsion devices disposed exclusively below the intermediate section therebelow, and power transmission connections between said units and said devices.

'11. A ship comprising a hull having fore and aft holds and an intermediate engine room and storage section between the holds and isolated therefrom, said hull having a well opening through the bottom of the intermediate section and, extending upwardly therein, a self-contained, individual, readily removable power plant and marine propulsion unit mounted in said well, and fuel storage tanks adjacent said well in said intermediate section.

WARREN NOBLE. 

